Operation: Dump a Girl You Didn't Know You Had
by LastChancetoBreathe
Summary: You're jealous, Bryon, because Angela dumped you to make a play for Curtis, and he was smart enough to leave her alone."-That was Then, This is Now.
1. Soda: The Operation Commences

Have you ever wondered what it was like when Angela Shepherd liked Pony? (Bryon, in _That was Then, This is Now_, mentions that she dumped him for Pony). Here's my take on it.

Disclaimer: Ok, I forgot to do this on my last two fics-I'm sorry! I'm new to fanfiction writing and I forgot. So I hereby solemnly swear that I do not own the Outsiders. The book and its characters belong to S.E. Hinton-much to my disappointment.

On with the story!

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_Slam!_

Ponyboy stomped into the house, muttering as he went.

Steve and I looked up from where we were playing a card game. I glanced at my friend, who just shrugged as if to say, _He's __your__ brother, you deal with him_.

I scowled, but faced my brother. "Hey Pony, how was school?"

He shot me a venomous look. I swear I would have keeled over then and there if I hadn't been wearing Pony-glare repellant. A nervous laugh escaped me. "That bad, huh?"

"I-" he began, then his eyes widened as we all heard a loud, obnoxious whistle coming towards our house. Two-Bit, in other words. My brother lost all color and ran to his room. A few seconds later, we heard the door slam.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Two-Bit musta given him a wet-willy or somethin' in front of a teacher."

Steve grunted.

Two-Bit waltzed through the front door, whistling Mickey Mouse's theme song. He pretended to tip his invisible hat. "Afternoon, gents."

"Afternoon, " I jerked my thumb in the general direction of the bedrooms. "Any idea why Pony's barricading himself in our room? He fled when he heard you comin'."

I knew something must have happened when a Chesire-cat-like grin crept up my friend's face. He gave a low whistle. "Hoo-ee, would I _love_ to have your brother's problem!"

I frowned. "What problem?"

Steve snorted. "As if you didn't know. That runt has practically every available broad eyein' him."

Now I could feel a grin coming to my face. "So this is about a chick?"

"Oh yeah! And not just _any_ chick either, " Two-Bit stood there with his hands in his pockets, just gloating over the fact that he knew something that I didn't.

Steve continued to play his cards, unconcerned. He nudged me to go and I threw some random card into the mix.

"Well?" I asked. "Who is it?"

"Angela Shepherd....and you owe me five bucks, " Steve murmured as he laid down his winning hand. I threw my cards at him in frustration.

Two-Bit pouted. "Man, why'd you have to go and ruin the surprise?"

"It ain't a surprise-I've been seein' the way she looks at him. Besides, Evie told me what Angela was cookin' in that cracked head of hers."

"Aw man! Why-" Two-Bit began.

"Now wait a second!" I held up my hands. Looking back and forth between the two of them, I asked. "_Both_ of you knew that _Angela Shepherd_ was after Pony and neither of you bothered to tell me until now?!?!"

"Shoot, Soda" Steve eyed me with disdain. "You're gettin' to be as clueless as Pony if you didn't see _that_ comin'."

I threw my hands into the air. "Pony doesn't like girls yet! And even if he did, he certainly wouldn't go after Angela! He's smarter than that."

"Of course he is," Two-Bit chimed. "Ain't you been listening to what ol' Stevie-boy here was saying? Angela went after Pony, not vice versa."

I flopped onto my back, covering my face with my hands. "Good heavens! Of all the women to go after my little brother, it had to be Angela!"

Granted, Pony _was_ a little behind the times. He was nearly seventeen and hadn't been on a single date yet, but _still_. Couldn't one of the nicer girls have had the courage to throw herself at him before Shepherd got to him?

One question puzzled me though. I sat up and stared at my friends, who were both grinning at me. "How'd this happen anyway?"

"Well," Two-Bit began patiently, "You see, when a girl likes a guy, she decides to drop hints at him and if that doesn't work, she gets a little bolder and a little bolder until she finally outright strangles him with her declarations of love. It's one of those unexplained mysteries of life."

I glared. "That is not what I meant."

"She dropped her book and I returned it to her." Pony quipped sourly as he slunk into the room.

Two-Bit and Steve snickered.

I couldn't help but chuckle too.

Pony's glare deepened.

I tried to put on a more serious face-which was no easy task. "You returned her book?"

"Yes! And then she was all over me, telling me how courteous I am, and what a gentleman I am, and-"

To my amusement, Pony turned an interesting shade of red.

"And what?" I prodded.

"OwqIm" he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Steve and Two-Bit were outright cackling now.

"What was that?" I asked, even though I had a pretty good idea what he had said. I couldn't help the mischievousness that crept into my tone.

Pony's lips pressed together and he shoved his hands into his pockets, blushing even more. "She said....how cute I am."

I couldn't help but join the other two in their laughter.

"It's not funny!" Ponyboy protested.

We couldn't stop laughing.

"Hmph!" Pony stomped off into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of milk. He looked out the window just for a moment and jumped so high, his milk sloshed all over the place. He ran back into the den, looking panicked. "She's coming up the walkway! Don't let her know I am here!"

He dove into the hall closet and got the door closed as a sharp rap sounded on the door.

I did my best to contain my giggles and walk to the door. Steve and Two-Bit pretended to be immersed in the card game that we had just finished. I gave them one last warning glance and then opened the door.

There stood Angela Shepherd in all her wavy-haired, dark-eyed, beautiful, demon-possessed glory. I tried to look surprised. "Oh hi, Angela. What do you want?"

Ok, so I could have been more gracious. Oh well.

She pursed her lips. Her eyes studied me for a second or two, before the lights came on. "You're Sodapop, right?"

"Yep, that's me," I cracked a smile that was totally fake-even by my standards. "What can I do for you?"

At least I asked her better this time.

She flipped a few curly locks over her shoulder. Her gaze darted past me into the house, looking for something.....or rather, _someone_. "There's nothing _you_ can do for me, but I was wondering, is Ponyboy home?"

"Uh, nope. You, uh, just missed him." Darn! I was a horrible liar on short notice.

She looked suspicious. "Oh really?"

"Yep," Steve called. "He went for a walk."

Good ol' Steve. At least he can come up with a plausible story.

"A walk?" She still didn't look convinced.

Two-Bit decided to join in. "Yes, walk. W-A-L-K, as in 'Angela took a walk off of the Curtis's property.' Also known as using two legs and putting them one in front of the other to form a rapid succession of movement. _Walk_."

Angela's pretty little face turned real nasty. "Listen, _Half-Wit_, you-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" I broke in before things could get out of hand. "You can't come here and insult my friends."

"And it's _Two-Bit_, got that? _Two-Bit_." Two-Bit called.

I shot him a glare. "You are not helping."

Angela rolled her eyes. She pulled her jean coat tighter around herself and turned to go. "Well when Ponyboy gets back from his _walk_, could let him know that I dropped by and I want to talk to him?"

"Sure thing"

She huffed and sauntered off the porch. I watched her walk away until she became a small speck on the street, then closed the front door. I shook my head as I turned back to my friends. I can't _believe_ she's interested in Pony."

"Neither can I, " Pony spoke up as he emerged from the closet. He looked almost desperate as he came over to us. "You _have_ to help me get rid of her!"

"No can do, Squirt," Steve leaned back and put his hands on the back of his head. He seemed rather pleased at this turn of events. "You got her, you dump her."

"But I didn't _get her_. _She_ got _me_!" Pony sank down miserably onto the couch. "Now I know how vampire victims feel."

The poor kid looked so despondent that I decided I would help him just this once. After all, Angela _was_ scary. "Alright, Pone, I'll help."

"Really?"

"Yep"

"Me too!" Two-Bit eagerly joined in.

My eyes slid to Steve, who sighed. "Ok, ok! I'll help."

Pony slumped in relief. "Thanks."

"Sure. Operation Dump-Angela-Shepherd now commencing!" I rubbed my hands together with a devilish grin.

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Uh-oh. This sounds like trouble. *grins* I have discovered that fanfiction is really addicting. Is it bad to want to write this instead of a school paper? *thinks for a moment* No, I don't think so because this story will bug me until I get it out on paper and I won't be able to think of anything else. That's my philosophy. x ). Okey dokey, thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!


	2. Steve: A somewhat Fool Proof Plan

Disclaimer: I _don't_ own the Outsiders? When did this happen?!

Ok, so first I thought I would clear up a few things that were brought up.

1. This is purely a dump-Angela story. She and Pony are not going to end up together and another girl is not going to pop up to take her place. I'm not a romance fan, sorry!

2. One reviewer brought up the fact that she didn't think that Steve and Two-Bit would still be in school. I'm going for the fact that Two-Bit keeps going "for kicks" like he does in _The_ _Outsiders_. Steve's not in school anymore and I'm not sure where I gave the impression that he was. Sorry if I left some hint of that somewhere!

3. As for Pony not being on a date or liking girls, I'm writing from the perspective that he likes girls but he's too shy to ask them out yet. Soda misconstrues this as him not liking girls at all.

4. Pony's age-honestly now I'm so confused that I have no idea how old he's supposed to be in _That was Then, This is Now_. I've gotten anywhere from 14 and 1/2 to 16 going on 17. I'm just going to stick to 16 going on 17 because I got the impression that _The Outsiders_ events happened a couple of years before _That was Then, This is Now_.

I also realize that later in _That was Then, This is Now_, Pony seems to be completely oblivious to Angela's advances. For my story's sake, he's well aware of her. So I guess it's slightly AU.

Finally, thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate all of you guys. You make me so excited...and nervous! I hope I don't let you all down. Thanks for reading!

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**Chapter 2-Steve: A (somewhat) Fool-Proof Plan.**

"I say, play Hooky until she leaves you alone."

"No way! Darry'll skin me for sure."

"Let's die his hair and paint his skin!"

"_Soda_!"

I watched the friendly banter, feigning boredom. Two-Bit and Soda were having _way_ too much fun with this. Pony's face was totally worth it though-a few more suggestions and he'd probably reached a previously unheard of shade of red.

"You'd totally look tuff with black hair!" Two-Bit chortled.

"You're not _touching_ my hair!"

"Then let's pack up Angela and ship her to Australia!"

Soda really perked up on that idea. He bounced up and down on his heels and added. "We could roll her in bubble wrap, then put her in a box full of those peanut styrofoam stuff, and-"

"Do you _want_ me to be killed by Tim and Curly?" Pony shook his head in disbelief.

"Ignore her." I finally played my trump card.

The room fell silent as all three of them turned and stared at me.

I didn't explain. I just sipped at my Coke and swallowed slowly, relishing in the momentary quiet.

"_Ignore_ her?" Soda was puzzled. I could tell his see-girl-and-flirt mind wasn't computing this novel concept. "How does that work?"

"Trust me, she may get more annoying and angry before she leaves, but eventually she'll give up and go away."

"Are you sure that works?" Two-Bit appeared to be figuring out how such a plan could be plausible.

"Hey, it works with Evie every single time."

"But you're _with_ Evie," Ponyboy pointed out.

Leave it up to the kid to bring up the flaws in a plan. I scowled. "Look, do you want help or not?"

He dropped his gaze, mumbling. "Yes, but I don't want her to _accidentally_ end up as my girlfriend either."

"You never know, she might be good for you." I settled back against the couch. Revenge is sweet.

"Don't even joke about a thing like that!" I didn't know the kid could manage to look so horrified.

Apparently, neither did Sodapop. "Calm down, Pony, you'll have a heart attack! Steve's just pullin' your leg." He finished his statement and sent me a 'you'd-_better_-be-joking' look.

I just smiled.

"Ignore her.....ignore her.....ig....nore....her..." Two-Bit mulled over again and again. His fingers drummed against his chin as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea. "Ignore her."

"Say that one more time and I'm going to pop you a good one." I threatened.

"Ig-" He paused and looked at me. "A good one what? And how is it popped?"

"Guys!" Ponyboy was exasperated. I think I could see steam coming out of his ears.

Scary.

"Take a breath." I advised.

If I didn't scare the runt so much, I think he would have socked me. His lips formed a tight white line that he still managed to get words through. "Just tell me how this plan of yours is going to work."

"I don't think I like your tone. I feel no obligation to help you if you refuse to even give me the respect I deserve." I tilted my Coke bottle back and finished off what was left in the glass before standing. I tossed the bottle into a nearby trashcan. "Not that this hasn't been fun, but I think I'll be going now."

That got Pony in front of me real fast. His hands pressed against my chest as if he thought that would stop me from leaving. "Don't go! I'm sorry, just tell me what to do."

"You can start by taking your grubby hands off of me." I sneered.

He rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. Man, if I had known that girl trouble would make him obey my every command, I would have tried to hook him up a long time ago.

A kick to the back of my leg made me look down. Soda was frowning at me. "Be nice, Steve."

"Fine." I hunkered down on the couch. Ponyboy sat on the arm, while Soda and Two-Bit sprawled at my feet. It was kind of nice to have such an attentive audience. "There really ain't much to explain."

"Sure there is!" Sodapop piped up. "This is a previously untried method of dumping a girl and I, for one, am very curious to know how it works."

"And I, for two." Two-Bit held up his fingers in a peace sign.

Pony sighed.

"Well, I've just found that if you pretend she doesn't exist, she eventually gets a clue. Just don't respond to anything she says to you-or you could give her those dumb, blank expressions that you always have, Pone. She'll lose you fast if she thinks you're slow."

"Not funny." The boy crossed his arms and pouted. "I do not look dumb and blank, I look like I am thinking....because I am!"

"Well then, give her the impression that you're thinking about anything but her. Ramble on about poems and sunsets...uh, scratch that. Girls like that kind of stuff. Just keep your mouth shut and you'll be fine." I finished with a shrug.

Ponyboy didn't seem convinced that my brilliant plan would work. But he really didn't have very many options left open to him unless he wanted to be shipped off to a foreign country-which wasn't a bad idea, in my opinion. He sighed again. "Ok, I'll try it."

"Good," I turned to Soda. "Now that _that_ little issue is settled, let's solve some more pressing dilemmas-like how to fill my stomach with something delicious."

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The next day, Saturday, I showed up at the Curtis' house promptly at 7:40-ish. Darry's truck was already gone-he had discovered that if he clocked in five minutes early every day, he would be paid for an extra half-hour at the end of the week. Hence, I never saw him in the morning.

"Soda!" I called as I headed to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk.

"I'm coming! I can't find my pants!"

"The jean-napper strikes again." I found an empty glass and poured some milk into it. A wide smile cracked my face. "I think he's officially become a serial jean-napper. This has to be the fourth time this week that your pants have gone missing."

Soda hopped into the kitchen, pulling his jeans up as he went. He zipped them up and frowned. "How come he only takes _my_ stuff?"

"Ain't you heard that stealing is the highest form of admiration?"

"Uh, no. I ain't feeling the admiration...I'm feeling cold because my legs ain't got nothin' on them."

I let out a chuckle that quickly broke off when Ponyboy entered the room, fully clothed. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Aw, let up, Steve!" Soda gave me a friendly punch on the shoulder. "I told him he could hang out with us because he ain't got any homework and who wants to stay home on a Saturday anyway?"

"Ponyboy does." I glared at the culprit, who shifted uneasily.

"Stop being a stick in the mud." Sodapop straightened his DX shirt and crammed nearly a whole slice of chocolate cake into his mouth. Then he slapped on his hat, grabbed my arm, and dragged me out of the house.

Ponyboy trailed behind us.

_Just because I helped the kid doesn't mean that his tagging along is acceptable to me_, I thought. But I guess I got what I deserved-give in once, and you'll be giving in for the rest of your life.

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Around and around and around he goes! Where he stops, nobody knows!

I watched Ponyboy spin around on one of the chairs he had brought out from the inner office. This was about his sixth time around and now he was making me queasy.

"Stop that!" I barked.

Much to my amusement, he jerked to a halt and balanced precariously on two wheels. Despite his waving hands, the chair toppled and sent him sprawling to the ground. He glared at me from his position.

"You startled me!"

"And you're making me sick! Now be a good little tagalong and sit still!" I glanced out into the DX's parking lot to see if Soda would be coming in here any time soon. It was his turn to keep shop while I took care of the cars.

And that's when I saw her.

"Looks like you've got company, kid."

Ponyboy whirled around from where he had been putting away his chair. His gaze landed on Angela and then switched to me. "Steve-"

"Get behind the counter." I pointed to my feet. As he crouched down beside me, I warned. "No throwing up on my shoes. You owe me big time for this."

Ponyboy just pressed himself against the counter as the little bell above the DX's door chimed. Angela strutted in with a couple of girls-one of them Evie.

_Pony is going to be paying me back for the rest of his life!_ I had that one panicked thought before my face became the epitome of coolness. I leaned my elbows on the counter and smiled at my girlfriend. "Hey Evie, baby, how's it goin'?"

"Not too bad, Steve....but I know of a way you could make me feel even better." Evie ran a few fingers through my hair, causing shivers to run down my spine.

"Oh? And what can I do for you?"

She leaned in and kissed my cheek before murmuring. "Tell me where Ponyboy is."

I pulled away, my eyes shifting to Angela-who was watching the scene with a smirk. So that sneaky little broad was employing my girlfriend to get information? Sorry, girl, that ain't gonna work. "What do you want Pony for?"

"Angel wants to talk to him." Evie batted her long, mascara-coated eyelashes at me.

The runt at my feet let out a faint, choked sound.

I kneed him in what I thought was his stomach. The hollow thud that resounded through the store told a different story. I didn't know heads could make such a sound if they got knocked against something.

My mistake.

Evie's eyes narrowed. "What was that?"

I bent down and grabbed a box of candy bars that had fallen there earlier. Before I stood up fully, I put my finger to my lips to remind the kid to be _quiet_. He scowled and rubbed his head.

I came up with an easy smile, placing the candy bars on the counter. "Some chocolate bars fell. You want one?"

Evie shook her head. "No thanks....so, you don't know where he is?"

"Nope, haven't seen him."

Angela stepped forward, shoving Evie out of the way. She got up right in my face, though I am pleased to report that she had to stand up on her tip-toes to do so. "I don't know why you are hiding him, but I know you are! Tell me where he is!"

I put my finger on the tip of her nose and pushed her back. "Listen, _Angel_, I don't even _like_ the kid. Why would I bother to hide him?"

"He's right." Evie agreed, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Steve only cares for three people-himself, me, and Soda. Speaking of that blonde cutie, let's see if we can find out anything from him."

"Fine." Angela pranced out of the station and made her way quickly to my best friend's work station.

"What do you mean 'blonde cutie'?" I asked my girlfriend before she could leave.

"Well, he _is_ cute. Besides, I think I've earned the right to flirt with him a bit." She headed for the door, calling back over her shoulder. "See you later, Steve......and Ponyboy."

Both of our jaws dropped.

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And there you have it! The second installation of my story. I hope you all enjoyed and thanks for reading!


	3. TwoBit: Not Fit for Bodyguard Duty

Disclaimer: I still don't own the Outsiders....I'm working on it though. :)

Did you ever take real life by the ears, tell it to scram, and it listened to you? Yeah, me neither. Sorry about the delay, I meant to have this up earlier but it has been a hectic week.

Thanks so much for the feedback! I love to hear what everyone thinks-whether it's good or bad. You guys keep me going. :)

On to the chapter!

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**Chapter 3: Two-bit: Not Fit for Bodyguard Duty.**

_Putt, putt, putt_.

Something in my car's engine was making a funny sound-and not in the ha-ha way. I guess that beer bottle that got broken in there last week did some damage after all. I made a mental note to have Steve check under the hood later on.

I glanced at my passenger, who was quiet-as usual. Ponyboy stared out his window with a blank expression on his face. I was beginning to think that Steve was right....maybe Pony _was_ slow.

I can only take silence for so long though. "Did you realize that my name is the only one that cannot be shortened?"

Ponyboy continued to stare out the window.

_Wait for it_, I thought. _Wait for it._

Just as I predicted, he frowned and tore his gaze away from the window. "What?"

"Well, think about it. Darry is short for Darrel, Soda for Sodapop, Pony for Ponyboy, and Steve for Steven-though I'm not sure that's his real name. But you can't shorten Two-Bit...or my society name for that matter."

"Society name." Pony deadpanned.

"Yeah, you know, in case I happen to join society one day. My mom says I have to use my real name if I ever want to be respected-what she doesn't know is that I'm _already_ respected. But that's beside the point."

The kid stared at me with that same dull expression. "And what _is_ the point?"

"The _point_ is that you cannot shorten Keith either. You either get stuck with Key or Ith." I paused, hit by a jolt of inspiration. "That's it! Ith! Keith can be shortened to Ith! Brilliant!"

"Fine then, _Ith_, you missed your turn." Ponyboy remarked with a smirk.

"Huh?" I glanced at the road. Seeing the school passing by on our left, I quickly did a U-turn without slowing down.

"TWO-BIT!" Pony shrieked, hanging on for dear life.

The vehicle settled back to all four wheels as I skidded into the school's parking lot. I swerved into a nearby parking space and killed the engine. Jerking the keys from the ignition, I opened my car door and slid out. "That was fun."

My passenger just sat there, panting.

"Come on, honey. I know you're shy, but you have to go to school now." I put on my best mothering voice.

Ponyboy glared and got out of the car. He wordlessly slammed his door shut and headed in the direction of the school.

What a grouch.

I ran after him."Hey, Chuckles, wait up!"

He didn't even bother to slow down.

Figures.

He had almost made it to the entrance of the school when he came to a complete standstill. I knew this sudden action couldn't have been caused by me, so I tried to spot what he was staring at.

Following his gaze, my eyes landed on the back of a curly-haired head. But not just any curly-haired head. Oh no, this was Ponyboy-you're-my-unwilling-boyfriend-this-week-Angela-Shepherd's head.

Before I knew what was going on, Ponyboy had run back to me and pulled me in front of himself. "You can't let her see me!"

"Oh _now_ I'm your best friend, is that how it works? I'm about ready to toss you to the lioness myself."

"Ok! Ok! I'm sorry! Just..._please_ hide me from her."

I sighed. "You know, this is getting to be almost comical."

"Yeah, to anyone _but_ the guy that she picks." Ponyboy peered over my shoulder at the broad who was still chatting and laughing away with her friends. "Do you have a plan?"

"Of course I do. Who did you think you were talking to? But you're buying me a drink after this."

"I can't buy you a drink!"

Oh yeah. I forgot that they don't allow sixteen-year-olds to drink legally yet. "Okay, I'll buy a drink and you can pay me back."

The kid's brow furrowed. "Wouldn't it be easier for me to just give you money to buy a drink?"

I huffed. "You _really _don't want me to help you, do you?"

"Ok! I'll pay you back!"

"Good." I quipped. So I'm easily appeased, what of it? I liked the kid and this is the first time he's asked me to help him in a long time. I patted his shoulder. "I'll go talk to her and you can sneak in while I have her distracted."

Ponyboy gave a short nod. "Got it."

I slunk off towards the small circle of girls, looking tough, smart, and suave. Cary Grant ain't got nothing on me.

One of the girls facing my direction abruptly stopped speaking when she saw me approach. The other girls started to turn to see what had caused this change in her.

Cary Grant, take notes.

I easily slid my arm around Angela's shoulders before she could turn. I really hoped I would not have to get a rabies shot after this.

She went as stiff as a board.

"Hey Angel, baby." I crooned.

I doubt Cary Grant ever got the icy look that I received. Maybe I could use a few pointers.

Her dark eyes seemed to bore into me. "Get your arm _off_ of me."

"It doesn't want to move." I smirked cockily.

"Then _convince_ it."

"But I heard you broke up with Bryon-what's-his-name and you were looking for someone to hook up with." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Pony cautiously making his way to the front door. _Hurry up, kid!_ "Want to give my lonely arm some company?"

"Your arm can stay lonely for all I care! And I thought I made it quite clear that I am not interested in you, _Half-Wit_, I want to talk to Ponyboy. Besides, I thought _you_ were only interested in blondes."

Shoot! How did she find out about my weakness?

Ponyboy was almost to the front door. Angela started to turn in that direction, apparently done talking to me.

I grabbed her upper arms and jerked her towards me. "Who said I like blondes? Maybe I've decided to try something different."

And then suddenly I was no longer holding a human being, but a hissing, spitting viper. She twisted out of my grasp. "I ain't a thing to try out! Get your hands off of me, you creep! I hate all you pushy, blunt guys! At least Ponyboy has some decency!"

Since when did Angela care about decency?

I didn't have much opportunity to stew on that question because a small fist got acquainted with my nose. I jerked back with a cry, my hands flying to my face.

The girls around us let out a cheer as Angela stomped off.

I shot a worried glance at the entrance, but luckily Pony had made it inside. He'd _better_ have made it for all the trouble that took.

Cary Grant _definitely_ never got socked by a girl before.

Ponyboy's price just went up to three drinks.

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Besides the little incident in the morning, the rest of the school day passed by uneventfully-aside from the fact that my nose turned an interesting shade of blue. The bell rang and I grabbed my books on the way out of my last class, ready to make good on my deal with Ponyboy.

I could see him waiting at the end of the hall, shifting his weight restlessly.

Then Trouble abruptly knocked past my shoulder-Angela, in other words. She had her eyes fixed on the kid.

Not good.

I started to jog after her. But I had only gone a few paces when my mind registered what I had just passed.

A really, _really_ cute blonde.

Two seconds later and I was at her side. "Hey there, I'm Two-Bit."

She blushed and giggled. "I'm Casey."

"What's a cute chick like you doing wandering around the halls all by her lonesome?" I waggled my eyebrows at her.

"Well, I'm not alone anymore, am I?" She smiled flirtatiously.

Beat that, Ponyboy! I can get a girl even with a busted nose! Oh wait. Ponyboy! The smile dropped from my face. "Will you excuse me for a minute, Casey?"

She frowned in confusion. "I guess."

I darted off to where I had last seen the kid.

He was backed into a corner with Angela's hands on either side of him. His face was absolutely mortified.

_Think of something! Think of something!_ I reached the pair just as Angela stated, "You know, you're a hard guy to find."

"Ponyboy!" I screamed.

Both of them jerked in surprise and looked at me.

I ran forward and pulled the kid away from the chick. A few faked sobs escaped my lips to add to the dramatic effect. "You have to come quick! Chuckles is in trouble!"

Angela didn't look happy. "Who is Chuckles?"

"My cat!" I gasped. "She got hit by a car! They don't think she's going to make it-she's at the animal hospital thingymabob! Come on, Pone, I need you for moral support!"

And with that, I dragged a shell-shocked Ponyboy out of the school right under Angela's infuriated gaze.

Mission accomplished.

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You know, the entire time I was typing this chapter up I had Family Force Five's _Drama Queen_ playing through my head. "She's got that diva thing. That D-I-V-A, diva thing!" Haha! I apologize again for the delay. Thank you for reading and have a blessed week!


	4. Ponyboy: Sometimes You Have to Take it

Disclaimer: S.E Hinton wins ownership this time, but I'm not giving up yet!

*gives a relieved sigh* Ah Christmas break, how I love thee! Now I have time to read, write, exercise, and draw to my heart's content. :) Sorry about the wait, guys, but now tests are over and I finally have time again.

*blinks at reviews* 27 reviews?! I love you guys! You absolutely make my day! Thank you so much for all of the feedback, I really appreciate it. :)

On to the chapter! Dun, dun, dun....

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**Chapter Four- Ponyboy: Sometimes, You have to Take it like a Man.**

Two-Bit refused to take me to school the next day. He told me it was because he decided that I needed to learn how to handle my own affairs. I knew that he just didn't want to be seen with the balloon that had become his nose. Plus, admitting that a girl had done it would be an extreme blow to his ego, no matter how scary she is.

I admit that I was scared of facing Angela without any of the gang nearby, but I was cautiously optimistic that I would be able to dodge her. With that happy thought, I resolutely walked out to the school.

"Hey Ponyboy!"

I stopped at the entrance to the school as a blonde, wild-eyed boy came jogging up to me. I grinned as we exchanged high-fives and man-hugs. "Hey Mark! How ya been?"

"Can't complain." He shrugged. A mischievous sparkle lit up his eyes and I knew exactly what he was going to say even before he said it. "So, I heard a certain crazy chick is checkin' you out, man-well, when you can be found, that is."

I sighed. "I don't know what made her think that I would be interested in her. Girls are weird."

"Tell me about it. I can't keep any of my girlfriends for longer than a week. Don't know why."

I looked at him incredulously. "I can tell you that. You look at every girl _but_ your girlfriend when you're on a date."

Mark laughed. "I can't help it! Maybe one day I'll meet the perfect girl who will be able to keep my attention, but so far all the ones I've been dating have turned out to be pretty dumb."

"Well gee, Mark, I don't know why. You go for the same type of girl every time-she just happens to have a different name."

"Alright, wise guy, we'd better get inside or we're gonna be late for class."

"Since when do you care about being late?"

"I don't." He smirked. "I'm just curious to see how your first class will go. As soon as you're out, I'm gonna be watching to see what happens."

My brow creased. "Why?"

"Well, Angela _is_ in your first class."

"Angela's in my class?!"

Mark cuffed me on the back of my head. "Shoot Ponyboy! Get your head out of the clouds! What do you do in class anyway?"

"I pay attention to the teacher. I don't look at girls." I stated as if it was the most natural thing in the world. To me, it was.

Mark snorted. "You're boring, Curtis."

"Boring is better than skinned-which is exactly what I'd be if Darry ever found out I wasn't paying attention."

"Oh, I see your point."

We had reached my first class, Algebra 2, and stood before the door. I stared at the handle. Mark just grinned. I had never been nervous about math before, but suddenly it felt like I was going to be quizzed on the intricacies of Trigonometry.

I swallowed.

"Would you get in there, man?! You're driving me crazy!" Mark took me by the arm, opened the door, and all but shoved me into the classroom.

I stumbled in amidst a few soft snickers. The door shut behind me, sealing me in my doom.

"Well, Mr. Curtis, I'm so glad you decided to join us today." Mr. Lane's dry tone cut in. He pointed towards an empty chair. "Please have a seat."

"Yes sir." I mumbled as my ears heated up. I shuffled over to the chair and put my books on the desk.

A not-so-quiet giggle broke me out of my trance.

I slowly raised my eyes. Much to my dismay, there was Angela Shepherd sitting right beside me.

I froze.

She winked.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Curtis?" The teacher's tone turned sharp.

I tore my eyes away from the female blood-sucker to find that the whole class was staring at me. I sat down hard, stuttering, "N-No, sir. Sorry, sir."

"Hmph, well, as I was saying before Mr. Curtis decided to interrupt, X squared times-"

I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying, not when Angela kept on leaning over, sending a whiff of cheap-smelling perfume my way. _Don't look at her, ignore her_, I reminded myself.

A little piece of paper flew onto my desk.

I coughed and it flew right back off.

A few minutes and two algebraic problems later and another piece of paper landed on my desk.

I sneezed.

Bon voyage paper.

Mr. Lane was staring at me again, rolling the chalk between his fingers impatiently. "Ponyboy, are you unwell?"

"Sorry sir." I mumbled. "I just have the beginnings of a cold."

A disbelieving snort came from Angela.

The teacher zeroed in on her. "Don't tell me he gave it to _you_, Miss Shepherd?"

"No." She answered meekly, or as meekly as she could.

"Good, then see to it that you stop leaning towards him so as to prevent yourself from getting sick. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir." She didn't sound pleased.

I snickered as laughter rippled through the class.

"Quiet, please, unless you all wish to receive a detention." The teacher went back to scribbling on the board.

The class quieted and I started to write down the problem he was doing.

_Tap_. A little white note landed between my X squared and my Y cubed. I flicked it off with my pencil. Two more notes took its' place. I blew them off.

"Ow!" I cried as a pencil hit my head.

My teacher was not amused. "What is it now, Mr. Curtis?"

"I just got a sudden pain in my head, sir." _Boy, was __that__ ever a lame excuse!_

"You'll have more to worry about than a headache if you interrupt me again." Mr. Lane tapped his ruler against his palm in a decidedly threatening manner.

"Yes sir." I slumped in my chair, properly abashed. Why do these things always happen to me? I didn't have much reprieve before an eraser hit my desk.

I turned to glare at the culprit, all pretences of ignoring her gone.

A triumphant smile spread across her face. She blew a kiss at me and batted her eyes.

Who ever told girls that guys actually find that attractive? Try stupid and neurotic.

I turned away again.

Another piece of paper hit my desk, but this time I didn't even have to do anything. Mr. Lane's stern voice intervened. "Miss Shepherd, Mr. Curtis is not a basketball hoop. Stop cluttering up his desk with paper slips."

I could hear the pout in her tone. "Yes sir."

I sighed in relief.

The rest of the class was spent in relative peace, but I had a feeling that my confrontation with Angela Shepherd wasn't over yet.

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"Ponyboy!"

I cringed just outside of the classroom. Her sugary-sweet voice didn't fool me a bit. I could see Mark leaning against the opposite wall, amused to no end. I wanted to punch his lights out and then give Angela to him for a girlfriend.

I wasn't given much more opportunity to contemplate what I would do to him before Angela appeared in front of me. Oh boy, was she pretty...and pretty was hard to ignore. But I knew that her personality sure didn't match her beauty.

"Why were you ignoring me?" She asked as she curled a piece of hair around her index finger.

"Don't act dumb, Angela. I can't stand that." Oops, did that come out of _my_ mouth?

She looked stunned for a moment before a frown came over her face. She tried to jab a finger into my chest before she realized that it was still in her hair. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

I stared at her.

Her face puckered in distaste before it melted into pleading. She stuck her hair-encircled finger in my face. "_Ow_."

I wasn't about to help her. I made that mistake once already, there was no possible way I was going to fall for it again.

Then I got an idea that would have made Two-Bit proud.

"Hold on a second." I told her.

She immediately brightened up and relaxed. "I knew I could count on you, Ponyboy. You're so-"

I rummaged around in my backpack. Where were they? Where-aha! My fingers closed around the object and I pulled them out before turning to Angela.

"-and kind and polite and-what are those for?!" Angela leapt away from me when she saw what I was holding.

"Well, _Angel_, these are called scissors. They're nice and sharp and they'll get rid of that nasty old finger that had the nerve to get stuck in your hair." I stepped towards her, bring up the scissors.

She held up a hand. "Now, don't be rash, Ponyboy. I don't want you to cut it. Trust me, all you have to do is loosen it with your fingers."

I smiled. "But that's another reason why scissors are such a good idea. They do all the hard work for me so I won't have to _touch_ you, because I really don't _like_ you."

"B-But-" She spluttered, eyeing the scissors.

"Tell you what, Angela," I said as I opened and shut the scissors right in front of her face, "I won't cut off your finger or your hair if you promise to leave me alone." So I was stooping a bit low, but she had asked for it.

She looked between the scissors, her hair, and my face. "O-Okay. I'll leave you alone."

I grinned and put my weapon away, chirping, "Good. Have a great day, Angela."

I strode off down the hall, congratulating myself on my accomplishments. I had scared Angela Shepherd.

"I'll get you for this, Ponyboy Curtis! I swear I'll get you for this!" She screamed after me.

Apparently she didn't stay scared for long. I knew she was tougher than that, I think I just caught her off guard. Oh well, I could deal with her revenge.

To be the victim of her revenge was better than being the target of her love.

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And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading! I think I'll have about one or two more chapters. As Ted Dekker would say, "Hallelujah, amen, you are dismissed."


	5. Darry: Ignorance is Bliss

Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders. Oh, how it hurts to admit defeat!

Sorry for the wait again guys! I didn't realize just how much time making/shopping/wrapping gifts takes! I seem to be just as busy as I was before I went on break-only now I'm doing things that I actually like. :)

Thank you for all of your lovely reviews! You guys are amazing, I am so grateful for your support and encouragement. I'm glad I've inspired some of you to read _That was Then, This is Now_. It really is a fabulous book.

On to the chapter!

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**Chapter Five: Darry-Ignorance is Bliss.**

_Mood ring, oh mood ring, oh tell me will you bring the key? To unlock this mystery of girls and their emotions, play it back in slow motion, so I may understand the complex infrastructure known as the female mind . -Relient K_

I got home from work even before Ponyboy got home from school. * It was refreshing to have an easy work day for once. I threw my keys on the counter and headed for the bathroom, intent on taking a nice, long shower.

I was all lathered up, shampoo running down my face, when I heard a loud knocking at the door. If someone was knocking that meant it wasn't one of the gang. What if it was the state?

_Oh darn_.

I stuck my head under the shower, scrubbing furiously until I was basically suds-free. Slipping and sliding, I jumped out of the shower and ran a towel over my body.

The knocking was growing more impatient.

I ran across the hall to my room, yelling. "I'll be there in a minute!"

The knocking stopped and I pulled on a pair of boxers and jeans. I grabbed a random shirt off of the floor, hoping it was clean. There was no more time to clean up the house. If the state took away my brothers because of a dirty house, I would sue them.

Was that possible?

I shrugged in response to my unspoken question and walked to the door. I gave one last cursory glance around the living room before opening the door. I blinked in surprise. "Angela?"

The brunette looked every bit as caught off guard as I did. She stared at me for a moment, her eyes trailing over my somewhat rumpled form. Her facial expression seemed to be torn between amused and intimidated. "Darry, right?"

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "Yes."

Now _she_ started fidgeting. "I just...I wanted...um..."

"Yes?"

"Is Ponyboy home?" She blurted out.

"Uh, no. He's still at school." I frowned. _What does she want with my brother?_ My tone came out harsher than I intended. "Why do you want to talk to him?"

She jumped a little and wrung her hands nervously. "I didn't necessarily want to talk to him. I just, um...well...could you tell him that I..." She seemed to reach a decision of some sort as she squared her shoulders and looked me right in the eyes. "Tell him that nobody messes with me and gets away with it. If he doesn't want me to break his nose like I broke Two-Bit's, then he'd better steer clear of me."

I honestly had no idea what to say to that. I had the feeling that I missed something important. Pony had done something to Angela? Angela had broken Two-Bit's nose? Come to think of it, Two-Bit's nose _had_ looked funny the yesterday. There was a lot of explaining that needed to be done, but at the moment, Angela was waiting for a reply. "I, uh, yeah. I'll let him know."

She smiled a smile that looked far too sweet to be real. "Thanks Darry." She turned to go, but right before she walked off the porch, she looked back at me. Giggling and pointing at my head, she said, "And Darry? You might want to do something about _that_."

I frowned again as she left. After shutting the door, I walked over to the hall mirror to see what she meant. My eyes widened when I saw my hair sticking up in every direction with shampoo suds sprinkled generously in between. It was probably a _very_ good thing that a social worker hadn't been the one at the door. They probably would have taken my brothers away from me just because I looked like a rabid human.

I started stripping off my clothes again, determined to take a _real_ shower this time.

And when Ponyboy got home, he would have a _lot_ of explaining to do.

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I was sitting in my chair reading my paper when the door flew open with a bang. Two-Bit came flying into the room, hands in front of him in a Superman pose.

"And the Mighty Ith zooms into the kitchen, poised for action!" He rambled on in an announcer's voice. I heard him rummaging around in the refrigerator, before he cried. "Kapow! Evil Dr. Cocoa Cake stands no chance against my amazing mouth cavity powers! Prepare to meet thy doom!"

"Do you always threaten and attack your food?" I asked as I turned the page of my newspaper.

"Ah!" Two-Bit screamed and I heard a clatter as he dropped his cake plate on the kitchen counter. "D-Darry?"

I turned with an amused smile. "What? You didn't see me sitting here?"

"Uh, no." He grinned sheepishly.

"You're unbelievable. I thought you only did goofy stuff when the gang was around."

He pretended to be insulted. "What? You think I do this just for show? Thou hast insulted me! I was born with an impeccable sense of good humor and wit."

"And stupidity?" I cocked an eyebrow.

He turned his nose up at me. "Just for that, I won't acknowledge your presence anymore."

"What a relief." I shifted my gaze back to my paper. I knew Two-Bit would not be able to ignore me for long, so I decided to relish the momentary silence.

Unfortunately for me, Two-Bit's resolve lasted even shorter than it usually did. He made a noise like he was about to burst and came trotting into the room with his cake in hand. "Okay, I give up. Why are you here so early?"

"Roofing's been slow lately. We finished putting tar on one house and have to wait for that to dry before we can do anything further. No more houses were available today, so my boss sent me home early." I explained without once removing my gaze from the Sports' section.

"So now you're going to waste your free time reading a paper instead of delving into my magnificent mind?"

Frankly, I didn't think that statement was worthy of a response.

"You are absolutely no fun. Ponyboy must be taking lessons from you." Two-Bit plopped down on the couch and grabbed the TV remote off the table. A few seconds later, all pretences of having a relaxing couple of hours at home vanished when Mickey Mouse started whistling his theme song.

I don't know why I bother to try to have a quiet house. It ceased to be my house a long time ago. I glanced at the clock.

4:30.

Well, might as well watch TV with Two-Bit because the rest of my family was due home in about thirty minutes. Ponyboy had taken to going over to the DX station after school and he would come home with Soda and Steve when they got off of work.

Sure enough, a few minutes after Mickey had whistled his last tune, I could hear Soda and Steve cackling up a storm. They came bursting through the front door with Ponyboy trailing behind them.

"Two-Bit!" Soda squealed when he spotted our couch-warmer. "The Operation worked!"

Two-Bit sat up so fast, he could have achieved whip-lash. He grinned at Ponyboy. "Really?! It worked?!"

A slow, satisfied smile crawled over my youngest brother's face. "Yeah."

"What operation? How did it work? What is going on around here?" I hated being left out of matters that concerned my brothers.

"Nothing Darry!" Soda chortled.

"No!" I slapped my paper down on the coffee table and stood up, hands on my hips. "First, Two-Bit shows up with a broken nose. Second, Angela comes here and tells me to tell Pony that he can't mess with her and get away with it. Then you guys show up talking about some operation and somehow it all leads back to Ponyboy! I want an explanation and I want it _now_." I stuck my finger in Pony's face, warning, "And you'd better not be trying to date Angela Shepherd. You've got more sense than that. I know she's pretty, but-"

I got no further in my reprimand because all of them started laughing. Every single one of the hooligans were laughing, even Pony. I frowned. "This is not funny. Tell me what's going on here or so help me, I will-"

"No, no!" Soda chuckled as he clapped a hand on my shoulder good-naturedly. "You don't understand, Darry."

"Well then, _help_ me understand."

And for the next few minutes, that's exactly what they did. I kept quiet through the whole explanation, highly amused when Ponyboy's ears turned red with embarrassment at some points in the story. When they finally concluded, I sat there for a minute just staring at them all long enough to make them shift nervously. Then I cracked a smile. "Good for you, Pony."

He looked startled. "Really?"

"Yeah. Just watch your back. I think Angela is out to get you." I told them about her untimely arrival and the subsequent exchange we had.

"I don't care." Ponyboy waved a hand dismissively. "At least I can concentrate in Algebra 2 again."

I couldn't help but tease. "I don't know, kid brother. Girls may get wind of what you did to Angela and they might start lining up to see which one can break you first."

Ponyboy gulped. "Darry, we're moving to Antarctica."

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*I know it may seem strange for Darry to get off early, but roofing is a weird job. My uncle is a roofer and sometimes he's done for the day at noon and other times he's working until dark.

And there you have it folks! Only one more chapter after this. :)

Thank you for reading and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!


	6. Angela: Dirty Work

Disclaimer: I fought S.E. Hinton....and S.E Hinton won.....*sighs and rubs her wounds ruefully* Apparently, she is a closet greaser who knows how to rumble. :)

Well, here we are folks! The last chapter of my epic adventure of Pony's Angela woes! :) Once again, I just want to thank all of you for taking the time to read and review my story-and for providing helpful comments. This chapter was partially sparked by an idea that TheNightimeSky had. She (or he, I'm not sure which gender you are, sorry!) said that _Bryon _was the one who thought that Pony was oblivious to Angela's advances and I thought, "Oh YEAH. I could totally use that." Yes, it took a little while for the lights to click on. :) Thanks TheNightimeSky!

Anywho, here's the finale of the Operation!

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**Chapter Six: Angela-Never Hire a Goon to Do Your Dirty Work for You.**

_A few weeks after Ponyboy's threat_....

I sipped at my Coke with a sour expression. Somehow the drink just didn't have the same sweet, bubbly taste that I always enjoyed. Instead, it was flat and bitter. The place I was in was too crowded, the music too loud, the people too...couple-y.

My brothers informed me that my mood for the past few weeks was the result of my being unable to get a guy who would want to stay with me. I told them I could get any guy I wanted when I wanted. I was just taking a break from all the retards who were out there. My brothers' mocking smirks told me that they didn't believe me, so I came to this party to prove to them that I _could too_ have fun without a boyfriend.

There was only one problem...I was not having fun.

I scowled at the couples dancing. I scowled at the couples drinking. I scowled at the couples kissing. Basically, every couple became a target of my anger.

But then _he_ showed up.

Ponyboy Curtis and his little nitwit friend, Mark. I didn't recognize the other boys who were with them, but I honestly didn't care. All that I cared about was that he had blatantly ignored my warning to stay away from me. Of course there was a possibility that he didn't know I was going to be here, but I chose to ignore that idea.

I glared at his good-looking head until he seemed to realize that someone was staring at him. His eyes met mine and widened for a moment, before he turned away casually as if I didn't exist.

I slammed my drink down on a nearby counter, hissing when some of the liquid sloshed over my hand. I hated being ignored. I was about to march on over there to give him a piece of my mind when I heard someone call, "Hey Bryon! How's it goin'?"

Oh no. They were _both_ here?

My head turned mechanically towards the entrance.

Bryon stood there laughing it up with some friends of his and...he was with another girl! How dare he move on before I could! The chick next to him wasn't even nearly as pretty as I am and...oh wait. Now I sound jealous.

I quickly put on a smug smile, determined to prove to my ex-boyfriend that I was well rid of him. I came up behind him and said, "Hi, Bryon."

He turned around with a cool expression on his face, while his little girlfriend just stared at me. For a moment, he was real quiet and I secretly crowed in triumph over catching him off guard. But then he ruined the moment. "Hi, Angel. You here with Curtis?"

Now I was mad. My face twisted before I could stop it, but I couldn't think of anything nasty enough to say to him. He knew it too as he watched me with that cocky, all-knowing grin of his. I managed to spit some random cuss words at him before stomping off in a hurry. I felt absolutely humiliated and there was nothing I could do about it.

Or was there?

The wheels started turning in my brain. I scanned the room for Ponyboy and spotted him just as he stepped outside with Mark for a drink.

Perfect.

Now I just needed to find a big, burly sleazeball. That certainly wouldn't be hard. In fact, it would be hard _not_ find a guy like that.

I saw a likely candidate sitting on a nearby chair. His legs were sprawled out in front of him, his brown hair a dirty, greasy mess. But his arms could have easily crushed me and he seemed to be a little bit on the tipsy side-ideal conditions for what I had planned.

I strutted over to the chair and sat on the arm, smiling coyly at him. "Hi there."

He blinked and looked around.

Boy, did I ever have a knack for picking the dumb ones.

Finally, he came to the conclusion that yes, there was a girl resting on his chair and yes, she was talking to him. A slow grin crept onto his face. "Hi."

What intelligence!

"Listen, uh..." I waited for a name.

"Kevin." He supplied after he realized what I wanted.

"Kevin." I smiled again. "Would you mind doing me a great big favor?"

"What kind of favor?"

"Well see, there's this boy I know who wants to cause a lot of trouble for me and I don't know what on earth I happened to do to make him angry with me. Just a few weeks ago, he up and threatened me! I'm afraid that he might kill me one day. Would you mind telling him to leave me alone? Please? I'm so very afraid!" I pretended to blink back tears. I could be an actress if I wanted to; I could really play it up.

Burly fell for it too. He was on his feet as soon as he could stagger up out of his chair. "Of course I will! Where is he?!"

"Right this way." I started walking towards the back door, feeling light with victory. Burly took a bit longer to reach the back because he couldn't walk in a straight line, but he eventually made it.

I motioned him closer and cracked open the door. I could see Ponyboy and Mark leaning against the back of a car, each of them holding a drink. I pointed to Pony and sniffed. "There he is! That's him!"

"You stay right here." Kevin patted my shoulder before running out of the building, stomping right towards Curtis.

I waited at the back of the building for as long as I could stand and then quietly slipped out of the place.

Burly seemed to be doing a much better job of angering Ponyboy than I thought, for, by the time I got outside, they were both going at it with their fists.

I paused a moment in admiration of Pony's strong muscles and cat-like fighting style...before I remembered that I was mad at him.

Then things turned ugly.

Kevin ran towards a patch of grass and picked up a beer bottle by its neck. He raised it up, intent on cracking it over his victim's head.

My stomach clenched and I wondered why I cared.

"Hey, come on, man," Mark stepped in between the two boys, his hands out in front of him pleadingly, "fight fair."

I thought Kevin would put the bottle down. It's an unspoken Greaser rule to fight each other with only what each opponent has.

But no, the Angela curse of picking dumb-bells struck...and it did so when the bottle cracked over Mark's head.

_Mark_, of all people! If Kevin had to take a whack at someone, he could have at least hit the right guy. I clapped a hand to my forehead in exasperation as Mark fell to the ground.

Ponyboy crouched down next to him, shaking him and calling his name. Kevin just stood there as a policeman clapped handcuffs on him.

Wait. A _policeman_?

Apparently someone had reported the fight before it had even gotten serious.

This just wasn't my day.

I walked over to Kevin after he was read his rights. The policeman eyed me suspiciously. "Miss, we need to take him down to the station now. Would you mind backing away?"

"Can I just have a minute with him, please? He's a good friend of mine." I lied.

The policeman nodded and stepped back a couple of paces.

I jabbed my finger into Kevin's chest and, in a harsh whisper, said, "You idiot! You didn't even get the right one!"

He looked truly sheepish...and a little worried. "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking."

If I could have a nickel every time a guy has ever said that to me, I would be a millionaire. I just shook my head and headed back towards the party. Right before I went inside though, I felt like someone was watching me.

I glanced back to where Bryon had showed up and was trying to help Mark. Neither one of them were looking at me. Neither was Bryon's little girlfriend. But Ponyboy was.

When our eyes met, his lips pressed into a thin line and he shook his head as if he were disappointed in me.

I wanted to tell him that it was his fault. I wanted to say that I warned him to stay away from me. I wanted to say that revenge had been served.

But suddenly, I felt ashamed. The feeling only lasted for a brief moment and then Ponyboy went back to tending to Mark.

I shook off the guilt and headed back indoors. He deserved it. He and all his rascally, overprotective buddies.

He couldn't hide from girls forever. His friends wouldn't always be there for him. One day a girl would end up breaking his heart.

But it wouldn't be me. I had learned my lesson.

I was never, _ever_ going to make a play for another Curtis boy again.

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And there you have it! My first complete fanfiction story that is not a one-shot! I hope you all enjoyed and I thank you for reading. You guys have been totally awesome and I really appreciate all the feedback. Have a great time celebrating the holidays. Happy New Year!


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